Someone To Love Me For Me
by In-betweens
Summary: Regina is caught between the present and a past she can't seem to forget when Sherriff Swan thinks it best she be escorted home by the object of her current fantasies. Or are they memories of a past she'd more likely wish to forget? She's sure that being two steps away from being drunk doesn't help matters. Written for International Day of Femslash & from Catherine Kenny's prompt.


**Title**: Someone To Love Me (For Me)  
**Author**: In-Betweens (aka inlove_n_inhate)  
**Disclaimer:**I do not own any of the characters from Once Upon a Time. I am just borrowing them. The story I portray them in I'll say, sure, it's mine, but I'm not making a profit from it. Promise.  
**Plot**: Regina is caught between the present and a past she can't seem to forget when Sherriff Swan thinks it best she be escorted home by the object of her current fantasies. Or are they memories of a past she'd more likely wish to forget? She's sure that the fact she's two steps away from being drunk doesn't help matters.  
**Author's Note**: Trying to get the writers block for _A Bounty_ and_ How it Ends_ to disappear. Decided to try my hand at a new couple. Written for International Day of Femslash. Prompt by Catherine Kenny, Someone to love me. NOT SwanQueen.  
**Author's Note2**: The material that is CENTERED is flashbacks/daydreams/memories. This site doesn't let me change the font like I originally did while writing the story so that's the only way I could distingush it. Hope it's not too confusing.

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**Part 1 of 1**

There is a lot that Regina Mills can handle. Ruling over an entire kingdom by herself, she handled well enough. Reigning over a township in Maine is far easier and she can obviously handle it since she's been reelected seven times. A wayward sycophantic news reporter still fawning over her, she can handle. The birth-mother of her adoptive son appearing ten years later, she can handle.

Tonight though? Regina finds that she cannot handle everything.

She knew this was true. She did not handle betrayal well. Not that she knew many people that could handle it well; Snow White does not count.

Regina knows several that handled it better than her. Snow White **does not** _**count**_. But is that the point? No, no it's not the point tonight. She is not interested in her methods of enacting revenge. Which, she crowns herself the top contender of because, honestly? _No one_ can dish out revenge like she can.

Tonight Regina is not interested in reliving the past. Well, not that part of her past at least.

The sight before her, standing right there in the corner of Mike's bar, she cannot handle. Not without the burning of alcohol sliding down her throat to rest in her stomach. So, she, Regina Mills, Mayor of Storybrooke Maine and former Queen of the White Kingdom hides behind the bottle. She is content in knowing that no one will see her like this. No one will know the wiser. No one has been counting how many shots she's taken in the last ten minutes since **he** started touching _**her**_. Five. No, make that six shots.

She slams the small glass back onto the bartop and waves for Mike to fill it back up. She has not indulged like this in years. Not since she brought Henry into her life. Normally it is a glass of her hard cider after dinner as she looks over some last minute reports while Henry does his homework or reads. Tonight she is at Mike's because Kathryn wanted to go out drinking.

Regina has never had a friend like Kathryn, not here, not in many many years, so she says yes when she's asked to join Kathryn out for the night. She had not been aware that the night out included David. The moment she arrived at Mike's and saw Kathryn waving her over, one arm up in the air while the other held David's hand on the tabletop made her wish she had an excuse. Whatever fun she thought she was going to have tonight was gone the second she saw David's less then enthusiastic face looking between Kathryn and the table four to the right of theirs.

If Regina had been sorry she had agreed when she first arrived there was nothing to describe how disappointed she was at the way the evening had gone. Bless Kathryn and her big heart but the woman was _**blind**_.

Blind to how uncomfortable David was, how uncomfortable _she_ was, and how both she and David wished to leave. David because he could hardly keep his eyes off of Mary Margaret—who was having a bit of fun this evening with Richard Whale (fascinating in and of itself)—and her because she couldn't stand to have anything in common with the good Prince. Their distaste for this evening was a shared opinion, a foreground that she honestly was not in the mood to share with him tonight. Or any night hereafter.

She knows now, after seeing _**that…**_ she should not have come. Period. End of story. She should get up and leave. She should not turn away from the bar and watch as that man slides his hands all over what she might like to still think is _hers_. But it's not. _She's_ not hers. Not anymore.

Kathryn is dancing with David who keeps throwing sorrowful puppy dog eyes in Mary Margaret's direction who is still dancing with Dr. Whale. It is so odd seeing him something that does not resemble a white lab coat. If Regina had the slightest bit of interest in the man, which she does not, she might think he looked striking in his 'normal' clothing.

"Madame Mayor, how lovely to see you here." The drawl is what puts Regina on edge.

"What do you want, Gold?"

"Oh…nothing. I just came in for a drink and to see how business is here."

"Well, as you can see, it's a rather good night."

"Yes, it appears to be. My aren't they having fun." He grins as he leans his back against the bar and looks out at the dance floor where Regina has promised herself she will not look out at again. Not until the music has stopped. Which is doubtful to happen anytime soon since it hasn't stopped since she's arrived, not even once.

"I am sure they are."

"Aren't you going to look?" Regina spares a glance at him and he's still grinning in that infuriating way. The way that lets Regina know that he knows something that he shouldn't. He knows what no one should rightly know at all besides her.

"I'm waiting for a drink." Regina offers her excuse even as there is this pull trying to make her look towards the dance floor. To check, to see, to torture herself.

Regina waves at Mike's wife Betty? Barbara? Beatrice? She can't remember and honestly she doesn't care. She's been smart about this so far. She's ordered one shot from the husband and then the next from the wife. Now they both think she's on a different number of shots and won't cut her off for at least another two each. Two each might not be enough. Not with the way she is responding to the manhandling she is being given on the dance floor.

Her shot glass is filled and she looks at the amber liquid as some of it overflows out of the top. The bottle would probably do at this point. She's sure she could finish all of it and not look worse for wear come tomorrow morning. Her tolerance is high and most of the alcohol in this non-magical realm is kid's stuff. Nothing like what one could find in their former world. Here the alcohol is monitored and only a certain percentage put in. Regina prefers her own hard cider for this very reason. No one tells her what percentage her alcohol content is going to be. No one. Not even this United States Government.

Regina throws back her shot…"Perhaps you should ask her to dance."…and nearly chokes. Coughing at the burn and the advice, Regina looks upwards at Gold as she leans heavily on the counter trying to regain her breath.

"What…!" She wheezes.

He rolls his eyes, "Perhaps you should ask her to dance. Really deary, if I didn't know any better I would think you were a little tipsy."

Regina huffs nonchalantly at the comment before looking at the empty shot glass. "Why, Gold, think you'll get lucky if I am?" Oh, wonderful, the bastard is right. There is no way she would say such a thing to him if she were sober, hell even her crocked grin is more crocked then it should be.

_Shit…_he laughs at her and touches her shoulder almost in sympathy. She glares at him and pulls her arm away nearly knocking over the shot glass in the process. She stares at the glass once again, putting her finger along the rim and an inch inside so she can spin the glass around lazily.

"Regina, are you alright?"

"Kathryn…" Regina turns to stare at her friend who looks concerned. David is standing directly behind her looking equally concerned and she can't help but think how nice it is to have someone care. The fact that it is Snow's Charming that is currently standing in front of her worried, caring, about her is just perfect. Another notch to shove against Snow. "Kathryn…I am fa-fine. Mr. Gold and I were juss-t discussing uhm,"

"Dancing."

"Yes, dancing." Regina turns to Mr. Gold, her brow raised in a rather confused, 'what' expression as if realizing that was not what they were discussing. "No. Not dancing." She quickly informs shaking her head. How many shots did she have again?

"Oh, okay, then what _were_ you discussing?" Kathryn nervously smiles, she is after all speaking to the two scariest people in Storybrooke, but if Mr. Gold was bothering Regina she had to do something, didn't she?

"Nothing. He was being rude." Regina waves off Kathryn's concern but Regina midjudges her wrist flick and her proximity to other people and nearly slaps Kathryn.

Regina can't keep her eyes off the dance floor anymore, her chat with Kathryn has made it impossible. To turn back to the bar the corner of her eyes catch the moving bodies practically writhing together on the floor. She sees the dark hair hanging loosely over a bare back and hands sliding suggestively down the bare skin towards the woman's shaking backside. Skin that Regina knows in the biblical sense. Each faded line each white scar has been touched by her palm, finger tip, lips, tongue. Each and every single one of them she has bathed in comforted her over, loved.

How dare he touch her at all!

Regina's eyes cloud over with memories of dancing pressed tightly up against her body, they fit so well together.

Regina remembers the smell of her being so real, so true to who she was, musky with the sweetest smell of honey and blossoms. She smelled of the earth and grass and the wet dew forming in the early morning chill and felt as soft as silk. The glimpses, the times they caught the other staring and quickly looked away even as their lips twitched into small grins, their cheeks flushing in embarrassment. Regina remembers soft whispers against the shell of her ear in the middle of the night. Memories of tumbling into tall grass during the spring, hands holding her wrists against the ground as a warm body settled on top of her hips and of beautiful hazel eyes staring down at her. The sound of her infectious laughter, and the brilliant shine of her smile used to blind her for a moment as they stared at one another.

Kathryn quickly juts backwards noticing that Regina has no idea her hand is practically in her face. Regina's eyes are on the dance floor and something is distracting her because she can't seem to look away from the area and her hand falls limply to her side not even bothering to offer an apology for almost slapping the blonde. David has his hands on Kathryn's shoulders holding her upright so she doesn't fall backwards in her attempt to dodge Regina's hand.

"Maybe we should bring her home?" He whispers conspiratorially into his wife's ear.

Kathryn nods and moves forward to start the process. "Why don't you go get our things?" She asks and David waits a moment before nodding. He goes to their table to pick up both Kathryn and Regina's jackets and the mayor's clutch. "Regina, honey…" Kathryn doesn't want to sneak up on the Mayor and find that she could only dodge one slap a night.

Regina doesn't even look at her let alone answer her.

There were the nights Regina woke to screams and ran swiftly through the halls of her castle as if Snow and Charming had finally arrived to take away her last shred of dignity and happiness. She would throw the doors open with such force that they would slam against the wall as she hurled herself haphazardly onto the edge of the bed where _she_ lay, thrashing in her sheets sweat clinging to her as her nightmares plagued her. For days after neither woman could sleep.

The circles under her eyes grew and worried Regina the more pronounced they became the deeper her worry buried itself. Regina was there through it all. Through the nights her nightmares kept her awake during the night, the faces of those that she had killed haunting her in her dreams and following her in her wakeful hours. She jumped at the slightest of touches, curled away from the sun and shook with terror during those nights where the moon hung heavily in the sky full and bright and shining down on the earth.

Kathryn looks to the dance floor to see who it is that has Regina so mesmerized but can't really tell. There are at least six couples in the area that Regina is staring at and another four in the direction she isn't. Kathryn thinks it might just be the moving bodies that has attracted Regina's attention in her inebriated state. Truthfully Kathryn isn't sure what it is, or _who_ it is, that has the Mayor so…distracted if it is a what or who and not just internal musings that took over as she stared in this particular direction. Who is Kathryn to say what it is?

Regina feels her heart pounding against her chest, begging her to do something. To look away or to act she is unsure. All she can feel is the pull towards the woman who seems so comfortable in another's arms that it kills her. It is physically killing her. There is an indescribable pain radiating from her chest down her arms to her very legs. The pain keeps her still, even as they sway and grind and suddenly turn so it is now the man's back that Regina sees.

Her eyes see a small tuff of dark hair on the right shoulder and slowly it lifts and Regina is staring into her eyes. The hazel eyes that seem greener than she has ever seen them in this world hold her eyes lock with them as if she felt them all along. The pounding of her heart stops and for a moment Regina wonders if someone has just stolen it from her chest. Regina cannot feel it, no, yes, yes she can. The pain is still there, but is beginning to numb, as if it is soothed by the merest of glances. Has she taken it back as her own?

No, no it cannot be!

Regina took to holding _her_ during those nights, unable to be another cause of her pain. She held her as the trembles and moaned and sobbed through it each night. Three nights a month she stayed upon whatever surface she found her on. Sometimes it was the bed with the canopy drawn around it to hide away from the moonlight. Other nights she was curled in around herself trembling upon the floor in the corner of the bedroom the furniture knocked around the curtains torn and she'd hold her through each howl and mewl.

After the first two months, and the first and only six nights that they had shared together where nothing sexual passed between them. She came and stood in her doorway nervously. She stared at Regina as she slept and said nothing. The Mirror woke Regina to tell her she had a visitor. She had been too ashamed, too prideful, and too scared to ask Regina for what she wanted, what she _needed_. Regina had not been kind that first night. Or the second when she came and stood in the doorway she had made it three steps into the room before she turned tail and left to her own rooms. The third night Regina left her doors open and when she heard the ruffle of clothing moving as silent steps were taken, she merely threw the covers on the opposite side of the bed down, a silent invitation. It was taken.

Kathryn watches as Regina's chest heaves twice before it stops moving all together. Blinking at the shock of realizing her friend is not breathing she reaches out. "Regina?" Kathryn touches Regina's shoulder to shake her a bit out of whatever haze she has found herself in and is shocked at the way the woman jumps away from her. Kathryn recoils but snaps forward a moment later as she watches Regina fall right into Mr. Gold's side.

The man is already unbalanced the way he is leaning against the bar and has no time to compensate for his weight as well as Regina's. The two of them topple onto the floor, Regina landing onto of him awkwardly. Thankfully they are both not hurt and most of Regina's weight did not land on his chest allowing him to keep his breath. Everyone in their general vicinity turn to look at them. Regina is quick to get away from him and he grins, even laughing at the horror on the woman's face. Whether it is because he is the one that she has landed on top of or that she has lost control of herself so completely he is not sure. Perhaps it's a mixture of the both.

Regina leans back against the bar and tries to push herself up but falls when her heel catches with a napkin that fell onto the floor with the peanut shells and she finds no purchase there. More people have begun to stare at them both. No one makes a fuss however and as he lifts his eyes those not brave enough quickly go back to their evening. No one wants to deal with his ire and even though he finds this all rather funny. He will not laugh until later. Let them all stew, thinking he's enraged at being knocked over by the Mayor. It will keep them afraid of him just like they should be.

David is quickly at their side helping Regina up by wrapping his arms under her arms and hauling her up. Once she is up on her feet, her thanks is hitting David's arms as if she is insulted he assisted her in the first place, David offers him a hand up. He takes it and nods gratefully before brushing off imaginary lint and dirt from his suit. He quickly takes hold of his cane and turns to Regina. "Perhaps it is time you went home."

"Mayor, Mr. Gold, are you alright?" Mr. Gold and Regina both snap their gazes to see Ms. Swan standing in front of them. What he notices that Regina does not is the woman that makes her way up just behind Emma, just as curious as the good Sherriff.

"Great…" Regina mumbles to herself, "Just peachy Ms. Swan." Regina seethes, of course Ms. Emma fucking Swan has to be here to see her in such a desperate state.

"Yes, thank you, Sherriff Swan, we're quiet alright. The floor is rather slippery with napkins and peanut shells all over it, isn't it Mayor?"

Regina wonders why Gold is offering her this excuse. She slipped the second time because of the napkin yes, but the first time had been her own fault and she is ready to admit that she is tipsy. Not drunk, at least not drunk on alcohol, drunk on the past however is a different story all together.

"Yes, I do apologize."

"No, it's alright, deary." Mr. Gold offers a small smile before placing a bill on the counter to cover his non-existent tab. Regina sees the money and wonders why he's being so nice. He hasn't had any of the shots that are behind her on the bartop. She's had them all but the fifty on the counter will cover them as well as the glass of wine she had back at the table.

She watches him leave, ignoring the conversation around her. Kathryn and David are telling Emma that they were just about to leave for the night when the slip took place. No one is willing to say that she might be drunk because she's not, even if she looks it. Her mind is just scattered with thoughts that are only allowed to plague her while she is curled up in her bedroom alone at night. At least she can wake herself from those nightmares.

What does one do when your nightmares follow you into the land of the living? Where do you hide your broken and battered heart when it is standing in all its gory glory for all to see in the light of day? You wake up, you collect yourself and you find an empty room where you can wail at the unfairness of fate. You cannot stand here and lose the control you have worked years to achieve, not in front of the people you are supposed to serve over.

Mr. Gold turns as he makes it to the exit and stares at her for a moment before looking to her left. Regina sees him smirk as he leaves and even wave goodbye. Turning to her left immediately Regina nearly falls back to the floor beneath her at the woman standing so close to her. When had she moved off the dance floor? Where is her dance partner? Why is she suddenly looking at her as if she is to be pitied? That will not do.

"Someone has to take her home."

"We were going to take her home right now. I mean, uh, we were all just leaving. It's getting late."

"It's only eleven. This night is just getting started!"

"Of course you would think that Ruby." Emma rolls her eyes as she turns to David and Kathryn. "Great, if you're taking her home. Good. Anything I can help you with?"

"I am standing right here. I have not lost my hearing, Ms. Swan. I have my car. I can drive myself home."

"Oh no you don't."

"Oh yes I do." Regina glares, she can handle Ms. Swan even in her inebriated state. She can. She must. If she cannot handle this woman how will she ever be able to handle the woman standing beside her?

Emma looks between the three people surrounding her that aren't Mayor Mills and sighs. She knows that David still hasn't been cleared for driving by his doctor yet and that means only Kathryn can drive them all home. If David could drive it would be easy, she'd just send Regina home in her car with Kathryn so David could drive their car home. Seeing David holding Regina's clutch Emma takes it and pulls out the Mayor's keys.

"You cannot…" just take her clutch and steal her keys! Hardening her stance Regina stands up straight and grabs her jacket and clutch not sans her keys inside it from James—David! It is _David_ here. Just like Kathryn is _Kathryn_ _**not**_ ABIGAIL and _Ruby_ is not…is not,

"Red, why don't you take the Mayor home? You haven't had anything to drink yet."

"_What_!"

Regina is surprised that Red—RUBY has beaten her in exclaiming her discontent with Sherriff Swan's new plan. RUBY has no interest in driving her home. Though that thought does make her stomach twist into uncomfortable knots. Of course Red-_**RUBY**_ would not want to drive her home. She was obviously having far too much fun with that man she was letting paw her like she was some cheap whore.

Glaring at Ms. Swan, "I assure you I am more than capable of driving home." No she wasn't, but she'd be damned if Ruby was going to drive her home. The fact that Emma has called the waitress by her fairytale name has distracted her enough. She cannot be put into her tiny Porsche with Ruby for any amount of time tonight. Please not tonight, not now.

_Red… _

They took to sleeping in the same bed after that. It wasn't until another month had passed, another moon cycle complete, that they retired directly to Regina's room. Together. Before they had never spoken about their sleeping arrangements. There was no need to. Not then. They would retire to their own rooms after their evening meals. Sometime later in the evening Regina would feel the bed sink and the blankets shift as they covered the other occupant of her bed. Every morning Regina would awake alone. At first she felt nothing at the empty space beside her. As the days turned into weeks she learned how it felt to despise waking up alone. The warmth was always fleeting or gone completely from the spot beside her. It took her ten days to convince herself that she was not some whore to be left before the sun rose over the horizon. She was a Queen! A Queen not to be toiled with.

"No, you're not." Emma insists and Regina is passed the point of arguing with her. She merely crosses her arms and waits. She glares at both of the women in front of her. At this point she'd be happy to leave her car here until she could pick it up tomorrow. "Ruby, do this for me please?"

Ruby looks at Emma with pleading eyes. The two friends seem to have a conversation with only their eyes. Regina looks away disgusted with the display of familiarity. Tapping her foot impatiently, Regina stiffens when Ruby sighs and claps her hands on her sides, defeated it seems. "Fine, give me the keys."

Emma tossed her 'deputy' the keys with a grin. "Thanks Rubes. I have to go deal with Leroy."

Ruby nodded. She looked to the couple that was trying to smile and the Mayor who was _not_. "Uhm, where are you parked?" This was not how she wanted to be spending the rest of her evening. The last thing she thought was going to happen tonight was her driving home the incapacitated Mayor. Regina was a scary woman and often times left Ruby scared out of her mind, speechless and jumpy. Tonight was no different even if the woman was tipsy.

Regina rolled her eyes, gave a disgusted sigh and stalked out of the bar. This was embarrassing as all hell. She should have just let Kathryn drive her home and come to get the car tomorrow morning.

"Thanks Ruby…uhm, you sure you don't want to just let me do it?" Kathryn asked as they exited the bar into the cool evening air. The moon was shining down on them lighting the small distance to the parking lot where street lamps illuminated the metallic cars. "You could drive David home and—"

"No, Kath I got this." Looking to the Mayor, who was already standing by her Porsche tapping her foot with her arms crossed in the same hauty manner, she shook her head. "I'm a deputy and all now. Great…ain't it?"

Kathryn patted Ruby on the shoulder before she and David got into their truck.

Ruby pulled her shoulders back and nodded to herself. She could handle this. She could. It wasn't like she and the Mayor had much of a history together anyway. They saw each other in Granny's when she came in to get her coffee and Ruby hadn't made a mistake on the Mayor's order in years…(because there was that _one _time…) so all would be just fine. It would, she'd see. Just fine.

Regina rolled her eyes, "About time. I'd hate to interrupt the quality time you were having with that young man." The Mayor hissed.

"Just…peachy." Ruby muttered under her breath.

"You do know the way to my home, do you not?"

"Yes, Madame Mayor I know where you live." She opened the car doors and the Mayor got into the passenger seat—thank god. She wasn't sure what she would have done if the Mayor insisted on driving. Waiting until Regina was in the car Ruby made several faces and growled out a sigh as she slid into the car, who _**didn't**_ know which house was the Mayors?

Ruby had never driven a Porsche before. Her convertible was a classic and a piece of junk. This black Porsche was like gold compared to her copper and she wanted to savor the moment. If only just for a moment, she wanted to hear the engine purr to life and feel the vibrations in her hands, she wanted to run her hands over the leather interior and breathe in the unbelievably decadent smell of the Mayor. Ruby had always liked the Mayor's perfume. She could smell Regina coming into Granny's before she even heard the bell chime or the hells on the linoleum floors. Closing her eyes she savored the rich thick evidence that this was the Mayor's car. Some people thought her perfume was as overbearing as her personality but Ruby always thought it was...just right.

Regina watched, silently, her heart racing, as Ruby sat in the front seat of her car and breathed in the smell of her car—her scent—as if her very life depended on it. Regina wondered if Ruby even realized how strange it was for her nose to be sticking up in the air; her eyes closed as she scented the air and smiled a _very_ wolfish grin. Feeling her face flush and her body shiver with the rise of her goosebumps she saw Ruby's tongue slowly swipe across her bottom lip, her grin growing.

'_Oh for the love of God…' _

"Anytime now would be lovely, deputy…" Regina was surprised her voice did not waver and she could inflict the insult she had to the title Emma has unofficially given to Ruby.

Snapped out of her haze Ruby blushed, feeling as if she had been caught watching pornography by her babysitter, she started the car and began the drive to Regina's. The air around them was thick with silence as they each focused on something outside the windows. Ruby focused on the road out the windshield while Regina pretended to be staring out the window at the passing houses but was watching the reflection of Ruby's face in said window. She once could tell this woman anything, speak to her about the inner most workings of her mind and heart.

As the weeks turned into months and the months turned into two seasons Regina forced herself to confront the werewolf. She could no longer remain silent as they lay in bed at night together. And without even meaning to she began to talk. Mostly about her dreams, forcing Red to talk about her nightmares and the fears that plagued her. They soon began speaking about their deepest desires for the future, the deepest darkest secrets of their pasts, and a bond that could not be shaken, or so she thought, formed between two broken hearts.

Now more than ever Regina realized that, _**that**_ had been another life, another woman. This woman was not _her_ Red no matter the similarities. Ruby would never be _her_ Red. _Her_ Red had chosen Snow White and became Snow's Red blooded knight. Red fought for Snow and James, turned her back on Regina and all they had shared to be Snow's bitch. Killed for Snow White. Regina had never wanted that for her, she knew of the pain that filled Red with each life she took. It was a pain Regina herself was familiar with, it was what haunted them both and they both sought relief from with the other.

Regina would have given Red everything..._everything_ she could ever want. All she had to do was ask for it and it would have been hers. Instead, she chose Snow White. Everyone always chose Snow White. Growling under her breath Regina didn't register the pain of her nails biting into her palm. The drive was silent and it wasn't until they made it to Regina's house, Ruby pulling the car into the driveway, that they realized Ruby had no way of getting back to the bar besides her own two feet.

In the corner of her eyes she saw Ruby's shoulder sag and her eyes move to the ground. She was fiddling with the car keys to her Porsche as she followed after her to the front door. Regina hadn't offered her anything from inside and desperately wanted this evening to end, wanted Ruby to leave her behind like her alter ego had done so many times before.

Ruby stared at the keys in her hand before she noticed Regina waiting for something. The Mayor quirked an eyebrow and held out her hands for the set of keys. Shaking herself out of her stupor she rushed up the last few steps to hand Regina the keys. The Mayor unlocked the door and stepped inside without so much as a goodbye. Sighing, Ruby decided it would be better to start walking back to the center of town now rather than later. This plan wasn't thought out, not in the least. Wishing she had something to do with her hands, pockets or some kind—not likely with the skirt she was wearing—she turned and made to move towards home. Wrapping her arms around herself she realized how silly it was to come without a jacket, the brisk night air was already making her shiver.

"I did not leave the door open so that flies and insects of all sorts might find their way inside…" Ruby turned around, eyes wide, as she saw Regina standing at her open door, holding it open for her to step inside. "You and the others follow Sherriff Swan so blindly, never questioning her plans." Much like Red and the others had followed Snow. "Fools, the lot of you. One day that woman will get you all into more trouble than you can handle. Had you bothered to _think… _you would have realized the disadvantage this little plan left _you_ in." Regina scolded, her tone mocking as Ruby stepped into the house.

Closing the door behind her Regina waved for Ruby to follow her. She did not wish for Ruby to be in her home for longer than necessary but she would not leave her to make her way back to Granny's Inn without a coat. Grinning, Regina knew just the one she could lend the girl. It was stashed away in her closet hidden behind layers upon layers of designer skirts, shirts, pants and cocktail dresses. "I need to see to the babysitter. Make yourself comfortable in the living room." Regina pointed to the living room in question as she made for the entertainment room where there was a dull light of the television flickering beneath the door.

Ruby watched Regina walk away with a shrug of her shoulders. She wasn't about to question the Mayor's plan. Though what that plan was she wasn't certain of. At least it kept her inside a warm house. A warm house, that if memory served correctly, and Ruby knew it did, she had never been inside before. It was a lovely house. Not that one couldn't tell that from outside but the different décor in each room and between the rooms and the hallway itself held a pleasant contrast. Each room meant to give off a certain aura about it.

Ruby heard the Mayor speaking in low tones with someone, probably Angela the local babysitter, as two footsteps moved across the floor. The click of the Mayor's heels unmistakable even in her own home. Hearing the front door open and close Ruby stepped to the entrance of the living room and furrowed her brow as she watched Regina's back disappear into another room. She reemerged quickly enough but was slowed by the burden she now carried.

Regina cradled Henry in her arms, his head resting on her shoulder against her neck as she kept his feet locked around her waist. Seeing Regina stumble slightly and catch herself on the banister of the stairs, Ruby rushed forward. Regina's arms tightened around Henry as she stood still, catching her breathe as she 'shhed' him as he mumbled in his sleep, disturbed from his sleep by the jolt. Feeling her heart race against her chest she let it calm down before she stepped off the stairs and held onto the banister as she tried to kick off her heels. It wasn't working.

"Here…let me." Regina turned wide eyes on Ruby as the woman kneeled down just to her right and loosened the heel from her foot and slid it off slowly.

Ruby offered a small smile as she put the first heel beneath the side table at the bottom of the stairs to her left and waited for Regina to shift her weight onto her unheeled foot. Once she was given a curt nod Ruby helped Regina take off the other, her palm grazing across the back of Regina's ankle. Feeling a shiver course through her, Ruby looked up to give Regina the O-K when she saw the Mayor's eyes. They bore into her, nearly black as she breathed in through her nose. They gazed at the other even as she slowly stood up and brushed Henry's hair down, watching her hand do it before meeting Regina's eyes again. They weren't as dark as they had been and almost seemed hurt, as if the Mayor was in pain.

She opened her mouth to say something but Regina shook her head, stopping her, and disappeared up the stairs her son held reverently against her as she brought him up to bed. Letting out a long sigh, Ruby felt herself shiver again, this prick nagged at her from the back of her mind something trying to tell her something, remind her of something. Pushing the feeling away when she heard a door close from upstairs, she made her way into the living room to wait for the Mayor, just like she was supposed to. Along the wall were pictures of Henry and of mother and son. Odd, since Ruby had never really thought the Mayor would like to be in pictures.

Picking up one picture inparticular Ruby studied it. Henry was no older than four and dressed as Batman for Halloween. That wasn't so surprising, Ruby remembered Henry in this costume, remembered him coming into Granny's for his piece of candy. The Mayor had waited for him outside and Ruby never got to see what she'd been for Halloween that year. As she looked at the picture she realized the Mayor had been Red Riding Hood, if the beautiful silk red cloak and picnic basket was to say anything about her outfit.

"Funny that you would pick that one." Ruby nearly dropped the framed photograph as she spun around and saw Regina standing in the living room holding the red cape she was wearing in the picture. Looking at the picture and up at Regina, Ruby blushed and put it down.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to snoop I was just…"

"I invited you into my home, told you to come in here, I would be surprised if you didn't look around." Regina's smile was breathtaking. Ruby couldn't remember ever seeing such a carefree smile on the Mayor's face. Sadly as quickly as it had been there it was gone and there was a practically tangible wall separating the two of them. "I thought you might need something to keep you warm on your walk to Grandma's…" There was a mischievous twinkle in the Mayor's eyes.

Ruby laughed, "Who knew you were so funny…" She glared, getting the joke as she took the cloak. It was heavy in her hands and the material would certainly keep her warm. There was just something…something about it that seemed more familiar then having just seen the Mayor wearing it in a photograph.

"Something wrong?"

"No, nothing." Ruby snapped her head up and lifted the cloak, "Thanks for this."

"I expect for it to be returned."

"Of course." Ruby assured as she wrapped the cloak around her easily. The tie was in the front and around her neck. Before she could even lift her hands to tie it around her, the Mayor was standing in front of her staring intently at the cloak as it hung around her shoulders while she tied it to her. Something about this…all of it…the cloak and the Mayor tying it around her and flattening it against her shoulders felt like distinct déjà vu and it felt right. It left her content and calm and so very confused.

"Regina…?" Ruby asked her voice soft as she looked up to meet Regina's eyes, hoping that the Mayor could explain what was happening. Why she felt like she was home for the first time in all her life. Touching Regina's hand Ruby watched as her hand slid up the length of Regina's arm, before her eyes flickered back to Regina's face. The Mayor's eyes were closed and her mouth open as if she was enjoying something she'd lost long ago. Memorizing it.

"It's time that you left." Regina whispered her voice hoarse.

And just like that the spell was broken.

Ruby snapped her hand away, appalled and ashamed of herself for touching the Mayor without even thinking about the ramifications. "I'm…I'm sorry, Regina. I…" Ruby pulled the cloak around her shoulders and brushed passed Regina. "Thank-thank you for the cloak." She didn't look back.

Not until she was on the sidewalk just at the entrance of Regina's yard, the gate in her hand as she held it from closing. Staring at the Mayoral mansion Ruby saw Regina at the window looking out into the night and up at the moon, it's shine bathing them both in its ethereal blue light. Feeling her heart skip in her chest Ruby turned away at the sight of tears on Regina's face. She let the gate fall from her hand, the gate swinging closed, locking her out and keeping her away from the Mayor who seemed so small and broken in that moment. So alone it tore at something deep inside of her.

Feeling the breeze blow across her face she shivered. The red cloak was doing a good job of keeping her warm as she began her walk back into the main part of town. The only part of her it didn't protect was her face and her cheeks which she realized were bathed in tears.

Their arguments were legendary. None of the castle staff would dare get between them as they yelled and screamed at the other. The insults meant to cut deep, sometimes as deep as the bone flung around carelessly were later made up for. They'd patch their wounds in hiding but would always meet in the middle until one day they did not. One day the insults cut deeper than bone and there was no magic on earth that could heal the wounds. She had left her. In the night, she slipped past the castle walls and the guards who knew her name and face and her nightly habits. They let her walk away, slinking away like there was something to be ashamed of in their relationship, as if there was nothing to look kindly back on. In the dark of night Red left her and it was in the dark of night beneath the ever changing moon that Regina remembered her.

_Looking for someone to love me_  
_I'm-m-m looking for someone to love me_  
_yeh-yeh-yeh-yeah_  
_I'm no angel_  
_there so much I can take_  
_calm down, patience_  
_don't lose your temper hold on wait_  
_I've got issues just like you_  
_sometimes I get so confused_  
_I'm strong but I can break_  
_I'll be praying so hard_  
_to get through the day_  
_bad thoughts in my mind I can't shake_  
_having nightmares in the day can you relate?_  
_Please somebody kindly wake me_  
_I can't let this cold world take me_  
_I'm looking_

**THE END(?)**

So, my first go at Red Queen. How'd I do?


End file.
